SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Aberdeen Central’s Rayden Zens won the 120-pound championship at the Heelan Invitational wrestling tournament on Saturday.

The Golden Eagles were fourth as a team at the event and had 10 total placewinners.

“The guys that found ways to get on the podium, they found ways to win and got a little bit better,” said Central coach Donnie Bowden. “We’re just trying to get everyone up to that level and see how many we can get through to the state tournament. That’s kind of the goal here.”

Zens recorded a tech fall and two pins on the day, including a fall in the championship match.

“He was just dominant. He just went out there and imposed his will,” Bowden said. “He’s continuously trying to open up his offense a little bit more. Anytime you can get bonus points in a tournament it’s a pretty special day.”

Mason Schrempp finished second for the Eagles, while Brock Martin was third, Tate Huff was fourth, Ridley Waldo, Logan Opitz and Jacob Krenz fifth, Ayden Gisi and Samson Flakus sixth, and Bryce Beitelspacher seventh.

Bowden pointed out the efforts of Opitz, who lost to the top-seed in the opening round before bouncing back for three straight wins.

“He took a big step as far as with his aggression and going out there and scoring points,” Bowden said.

The Central girls competed in a tournament at Pierre. The Eagles were led by Eva Hinkle who was third and Katrina Gibson who took fourth.

Hinkle had a pair of pins on the day.

“She’s just one of those gritty competitors,” Bowden said. “She’s going to go out there and give you everything that she has.”

Gibson gained more valuable experience, according to the coach.

“That’s the biggest thing with her,” Bowden said. “She very much wants to know how things work and how she can improve.”

The Eagles have a long homestand starting Thursday with a triangular against Watertown and Harrisburg, followed by the annual Lee Wolf tourney on Saturday, and then two more home dates the following week.

Bryce Beitelspacher

Champ. Round 1 – Matt Schwery (Harlan Community) over Bryce Beitelspacher (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 5:33)

Cons. Round 1 – Bryce Beitelspacher (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Bryce Beitelspacher (Aberdeen Central) over Caleb Hiatt (Logan-Magnolia) (Fall 3:23)

Cons. Semis – Ethan Husser (Sioux Falls Lincoln) over Bryce Beitelspacher (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 4:31)

7th Place Match – Bryce Beitelspacher (Aberdeen Central) over Joey Fitzsimmons (Bishop Heelan Catholic) (Fall 1:53)

Elias Biegler

Champ. Round 1 – Elias Biegler (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Sir Brandon Watts (Bishop Heelan Catholic) over Elias Biegler (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:57)

Cons. Round 2 – Josiah Kumm (Norfolk) over Elias Biegler (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 3-1)

Samson Flakus

Champ. Round 1 – Samson Flakus (Aberdeen Central) over Skylar Wood (Grand Island) (Fall 3:33)

Quarterfinals – Micah Hach (Watertown) over Samson Flakus (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 4:43)

Cons. Round 2 – Samson Flakus (Aberdeen Central) over Ethan Erickson (Bishop Heelan Catholic) (Fall 3:19)

Cons. Semis – Samson Flakus (Aberdeen Central) over Landon Peery (Watertown) (Fall 1:09)

5th Place Match – Jeremiah Davis (Harlan Community) over Samson Flakus (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 5-0)

Ayden Gisi

Champ. Round 1 – Ayden Gisi (Aberdeen Central) over Logan Sandman (Spirit Lake Park) (Fall 2:15)

Quarterfinals – Ethan DeLeon (Bishop Heelan Catholic) over Ayden Gisi (Aberdeen Central) (TF 16-1 3:14)

Cons. Round 2 – Ayden Gisi (Aberdeen Central) over Lane Mead (Norfolk) (Dec 4-1)

Cons. Semis – Ayden Gisi (Aberdeen Central) over Dwaune Dykes (Storm Lake) (Dec 10-3)

5th Place Match – Jordan Kerger (Logan-Magnolia) over Ayden Gisi (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:58)

Tate Huff

Champ. Round 1 – Tate Huff (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Tate Huff (Aberdeen Central) over Javier Pedro (Grand Island) (Dec 13-7)

Semifinals – Jesse Lewis (Norfolk) over Tate Huff (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 5:16)

3rd Place Match – Corbin Reisz (Logan-Magnolia) over Tate Huff (Aberdeen Central) (TF 19-4 4:13)

Jacob Krenz

Champ. Round 1 – Jacob Krenz (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Zachary Pittman (Grand Island) over Jacob Krenz (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 8-3)

Cons. Round 2 – Jacob Krenz (Aberdeen Central) over Thorin Rodne (Westwood, Sloan) (Fall 2:09)

Cons. Semis – Jacob Krenz (Aberdeen Central) over Noah Ferguson Naranjo (Norfolk) (Fall 3:15)

5th Place Match – Jacob Krenz (Aberdeen Central) over Aiden Phillips (Storm Lake) (Fall 5:02)

Brock Martin

Champ. Round 1 – Brock Martin (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Brock Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Gavin Van Driel (Norfolk) (Dec 6-5)

Semifinals – Jonathon Burnette (Spirit Lake Park) over Brock Martin (Aberdeen Central) (TF 15-0 3:30)

3rd Place Match – Brock Martin (Aberdeen Central) over Drayven Kraft (West Sioux, Hawarden) (Dec 4-3)

Ryker Meister

Champ. Round 1 – Kayden Kettler (Norfolk) over Ryker Meister (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:22)

Cons. Round 1 – Ryker Meister (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Liam Cleary (Bishop Heelan Catholic) over Ryker Meister (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 5-3)

Logan Opitz

Champ. Round 1 – Mikey Baker (West Sioux, Hawarden) over Logan Opitz (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:34)

Cons. Round 1 – Logan Opitz (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Logan Opitz (Aberdeen Central) over Brooks Reiman (Norfolk) (Fall 2:51)

Cons. Semis – Logan Opitz (Aberdeen Central) over Isaac Guevara (Grand Island) (Fall 2:29)

5th Place Match – Logan Opitz (Aberdeen Central) over Matthew Vondrak (LeMars) (Dec 6-5)

Cordell Rychlik

Champ. Round 1 – Jacob Licking (Norfolk) over Cordell Rychlik (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 2:12)

Cons. Round 1 – Cordell Rychlik (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Francisco Martinez (Sioux Falls Lincoln) over Cordell Rychlik (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 3:37)

Dylan Schaunaman

Champ. Round 1 – Gavin Maguire (Logan-Magnolia) over Dylan Schaunaman (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:17)

Cons. Round 1 – Bret Van Baale (Harlan Community) over Dylan Schaunaman (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 5-3)

Mason Schrempp

Champ. Round 1 – Mason Schrempp (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Mason Schrempp (Aberdeen Central) over RJ Nichols (Watertown) (TF 20-5 2:46)

Semifinals – Mason Schrempp (Aberdeen Central) over Luke Freund (Harlan Community) (SV-1 10-8)

1st Place Match – Cameron Clark (West Sioux, Hawarden) over Mason Schrempp (Aberdeen Central) (MD 12-4)

Ridley Waldo

Champ. Round 1 – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Hudson Cisar (Sioux Falls Lincoln) (Dec 7-2)

Quarterfinals – Aidan Wells (Sioux Falls Jefferson) over Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 8-1)

Cons. Round 2 – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Brock Hessenius (LeMars) (Fall 1:37)

Cons. Semis – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Jaxon Prichard (Westwood, Sloan) (Fall 2:52)

5th Place Match – Ridley Waldo (Aberdeen Central) over Hudson Cisar (Sioux Falls Lincoln) (Dec 4-2)

Rayden Zens

Champ. Round 1 – Rayden Zens (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Rayden Zens (Aberdeen Central) over Eliot Ellenbecker (Sioux Falls Lincoln) (TF 19-0 5:11)

Semifinals – Rayden Zens (Aberdeen Central) over Braden Le (Watertown) (Fall 0:46)

1st Place Match – Rayden Zens (Aberdeen Central) over Jackson Kinnetz (Bishop Heelan Catholic) (Fall 1:09)

Aberdeen Central Girls at Governor Invitational

106: Eva Hinkle 4th

Quarterfinals – Eva Hinkle (Aberdeen Central) over Meredith Ramacher (Hot Springs) (Fall 3:18)

Semifinals – Maraia Kruske (Spearfish) over Eva Hinkle (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:17)

Cons. Semis – Eva Hinkle (Aberdeen Central) over Lydia Wolf (South Border) (Fall 0:53)

3rd Place Match – Trinity Duran (Rapid City Stevens) over Eva Hinkle (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:23)

113: Madyson Gillen

Champ. Round 1 – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Quarterfinals – Tayvn Valder (Beresford/Alcester-Hudson) over Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 3:14)

Cons. Round 2 – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 3 – Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) over Nevaeh Baade (Pierre T.F. Riggs) (Fall 2:55)

Cons. Semis – Shea Irion (Spearfish) over Madyson Gillen (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:36)

120: Aleigha Allison

Champ. Round 1 – Susu Kamara (Harrisburg) over Aleigha Allison (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 1:30)

Cons. Round 1 – Aleigha Allison (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Kezrey Benning (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Aleigha Allison (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:47)

126: Ula Martin

Champ. Round 1 – Peyton Hellmann (Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon) over Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:28)

Cons. Round 1 – Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Cons. Round 2 – Chloe Ellingsen (Harrisburg) over Ula Martin (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 3:26)

170: Katrina Gibson 4th

Round 1 – Emalee Larson (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 4:55)

Round 2 – Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) received a bye

Round 3 – Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) over Christy Shockley (South Border) (Fall 3:23)

Round 4 – Morgan Lantaff (Harrisburg) over Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) (Dec 6-1)

Round 5 – Zoey Holtz (Douglas) over Katrina Gibson (Aberdeen Central) (MD 11-2)

285: Autum Gauer

Quarterfinals – Autum Gauer (Aberdeen Central) over Fawna Rae Halfe (Mobridge-Pollock) (Fall 0:31)

Semifinals – Ciara McFarling (Pierre T.F. Riggs) over Autum Gauer (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:26)

Cons. Semis – Jenessa Skyberg (Brandon Valley) over Autum Gauer (Aberdeen Central) (Fall 0:09)